
Halcyon Years
A gripping new murder mystery set on a spaceship from the million-copy bestselling 'mastersinger' of science fiction
Alastair Reynolds(Author)
Gollancz (Publisher)
Published on 14. May 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
496 pages
978-1-3996-1178-7 (ISBN)
Description
A superb new noir/science fiction fusion from the 'mastersinger of space opera' (The Times) and the creator of the beloved Revelation Space universe, strap in for a gripping murder mystery.
Yuri Gagarin is a private investigator, who picks up small cases from his local community, runs into trouble with the local police, and generally ekes out a living as best he can. He's aboard the Halcyon - a starship, hurtling through space, carrying thousands of passengers with thousands more sleeping the journey away.
Only his usual investigative work - catching cheating spouses, and small time con artists - is about to take a turn. He's hired by a mysterious woman called Ruby Red to look into a death in one of Halcyon's most elite families . . . and then warned off the case again by a second mysterious woman called Ruby Blue. Caught between the two, he's about to be embroiled in a murder mystery in which - at any moment - he could be the latest victim.
Gripping, fast-paced fun this is a classic noir mystery with a science fiction twist, which will keep you guessing, and on the edge of your seat, to the end.
'A hugely entertaining film noir pastiche set on a generational spaceship' - SFX
'Alastair Reynolds is a genre adventurer . . . Halycon Years is a novel composed of nested mysteries and riddles' - Locus
Yuri Gagarin is a private investigator, who picks up small cases from his local community, runs into trouble with the local police, and generally ekes out a living as best he can. He's aboard the Halcyon - a starship, hurtling through space, carrying thousands of passengers with thousands more sleeping the journey away.
Only his usual investigative work - catching cheating spouses, and small time con artists - is about to take a turn. He's hired by a mysterious woman called Ruby Red to look into a death in one of Halcyon's most elite families . . . and then warned off the case again by a second mysterious woman called Ruby Blue. Caught between the two, he's about to be embroiled in a murder mystery in which - at any moment - he could be the latest victim.
Gripping, fast-paced fun this is a classic noir mystery with a science fiction twist, which will keep you guessing, and on the edge of your seat, to the end.
'A hugely entertaining film noir pastiche set on a generational spaceship' - SFX
'Alastair Reynolds is a genre adventurer . . . Halycon Years is a novel composed of nested mysteries and riddles' - Locus
Reviews / Votes
A hugely entertaining film noir pastiche set on a generational spaceship * SFX * Alastair Reynolds is a genre adventurer . . . Halycon Years is a novel composed of nested mysteries and riddles * Locus *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Orion Publishing Co
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 195 mm
Width: 126 mm
Thickness: 26 mm
Weight
236 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-3996-1178-7 (9781399611787)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Alastair Reynolds was born in Barry, South Wales, in 1966. He studied at Newcastle and St Andrews Universities and has a Ph.D. in astronomy. He stopped working as an astrophysicist for the European Space Agency to become a full-time writer. REVELATION SPACE, PUSHING ICE and HOUSE OF SUNS were shortlisted for the ARTHUR C. CLARKE AWARD; REVELATION SPACE, ABSOLUTION GAP, DIAMOND DOGS and CENTURY RAIN were shortlisted for the BRITISH SCIENCE FICTION AWARD and CHASM CITY won the BRITISH SCIENCE FICTION AWARD.
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